May 19, 1919 鈥� January 23, 2014
Lawrence (Lofty) Brune passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on the afternoon of January 23, 2014. He left this world the way he had said he wanted to go, sitting in the kitchen looking out at the mountains. Left to mourn his passing is his wife (Eloise), 3 children (Karl, Larry and Dee), 7 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
Dad was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He joined the RCAF in 1941, trained as a pilot and was stationed in England from 1943 to 1945 flying patrols for U-boats in the North Atlantic. He briefly left the air-force at the end of the war, working in a logging camp on Vancouver Island, before rejoining the air-force in 1946 and serving until retirement in 1964. Lawrence and Eloise moved to the Comox Valley in 1965 where Dad worked at various jobs including installing furnaces, working at the copper mine at Mt Washington and driving taxi in Campbell River, before getting a job as a deckhand on the (at that time) Kelsey Bay to Prince Rupert ferry. He moved into the engine room, began training as a Marine Engineer and eventually became the chief engineer on the Comox to Powell River ferry route before retiring from his second career. His final employment was for a season in the Arctic on a dredger building islands for oil rigs before officially retiring for good in the early 1980s.
Dad spent his retirement years enjoying his hobbies on the small farm he and Eloise bought in 1965. He liked to tinker with machinery, play his accordion and host parties. Dad loved music (he taught himself to play several instruments, his favorite being the accordion), and was part of a music group well into his 80s that went and played in retirement homes. He was also fond of jokes, good food and good wine. Dad had a keen intellect and was an avid reader. He had an interest in mathematics and was learning calculus up until a few months before his death. He also had a particularly good memory for off-colour songs and poems from time spent during the war in English pubs.
We would like to thank Dr Matous, the staff at Home Community Care and Carol from NurseNextDoor for making Dad鈥檚 last few months as comfortable as possible.
A celebration of Lawrence鈥檚 life will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2014 at the Comox Recreation Centre, 1855 Noel Ave, Comox from 1 to 3 pm for family and friends.